The Law of Attraction
by BlueBatWing
Summary: Spencer Reid has every chemical process that creates the sensations of devotion and adoration memorized. He's read hundreds of sonnets describing euphoria and loss, understands the hormones that are released to form deep attraction and realizes the resulting lust is an evolutionary trait meant for reproduction. Spencer knows everything there is to know about love - or so he thinks.
1. Chapter 1

**Important A/N:** **The story begins between episode 22 and 23 of Season Five** **! Enjoy!**

* * *

 _It is the combination of thought and love which forms the irresistible force of the law of attraction._  
 _– Charles Hammel_

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

 **November 12, 2009**

 **North Carolina _(The Case)_**

The darkness pulsed with energy, Sabrina Mason moved with it.

She jumped in time with the beat of the music, her arms moving wildly and without inhibition. The electricity that zinged in the air made her blood sizzle; igniting a blaze in the redhead's eyes that had more to do with the adrenaline than the acid she put under her tongue hours ago.

Sabrina didn't know how long she'd been in the mass of sweaty people, moving along with the steady thrum of her heart and the rhythm of the floors pounding.

It was addictive - the feeling, the freedom, the _drugs_ \- Sabrina loved it, she relished in it. It wasn't until the beat changed, a seamless transition from hard electronic to a smoother type R&B that had her imagining the type of havoc she could reap if she had a warm body behind her to move with, that Sabrina stopped her dancing; deciding she wasn't nearly buzzed enough and made the executive decision to rectify that.

The young woman turned, tripping slightly on her heels, and shouldered her way through the group of writhing bodies surrounding her; she tried to ignore the mix of neons flashing at her and bleeding into her vision as she walked but, the weight of the colors swirling in her eyes was too oppressive, her limbs started to feel heavy, she felt sluggish… slow… hot… too hot…

Suddenly, the warmth grew, concentrating on the tops of her arm, solid planes pressed themselves on Sabrina's back, curling around her, trapping her - Sabrina didn't like it.

She wanted to protest, to tell whoever was behind her to go away, that it was too hot, too much, but her tongue was dry, her traitorous lips wouldn't move.

"Oh honey, honey," a voice, cold, nasally and unwanted, purred in her ears; icy lips brushed against her earlobe and disgust rose up in Sabrina's chest, or maybe it was bile. "You don't look so well. You know, drugs are bad for you and so is leaving your drink unattended."

Hard hips pressed against her backside, large hands clutched at her hips, forcing her lax body to sway with the bruising music. It was so loud, how had she enjoyed it minute ago?

No, no she had to go, he needed to go away… too loud...

"Why don't we get out of here, beautiful? I have some big plans for us."

That's not what Sabrina wanted; she was tired and heavy, she needed to sleep, needed to rest. Before she could attempt to convey this to the man, it would've been difficult her face felt to waxy she didn't think she could've done it, her arm twinged sharply then burned with a scorching fire that seemed to spread to the rest of her body. A pitiful noise escaped her.

"Shhhh, honey, none of that now."

The voice sounded warbled and far away, the bright lights dimmed, the pounding music faded, any energy left in Sabrina's already pliant body drained out of her - the world tilted on its axis. The black pushed down on her, and the last thing Sabrina noticed was greedy arms snaking around her waist, the whisper of a cruel promise the last thing she registered before the black consumed her…

"We're gonna have so much fun, honey."

Somewhere at the opposite side of the club, Sabrina's friend, Amelia, pushed through the crowd, making her way to the exit.

She had been looking for Sabrina for a couple of minutes now, calling her friends name and getting yelled at by the drunk patrons she got in the way of - those assholes.

Amelia sighed and made her way to the large steel doors that had a huge ' _exit'_ sign hanging above it. Maybe her friend had become overwhelmed or sick and stepped out, at least that's what Amelia hoped. She could already feel the worry twisting her insides, the distress making her hands clench. Where was Sabrina? She couldn't find her _anywhere_ and Amelia was really starting to panic now.

She hated being the sober friend; it was too much responsibility - she silently promised herself she wouldn't agree to any other last minute, half-assed plans again anytime soon.

"Leaving already, girl? It's still early." the security guard questioned loudly over the blare, his bald head gleaming in the clubs lights and muscled chest jutted out.

"Just looking for my friend," Amelia practically shrieked out, temple throbbing from the loudness of her voice and the music, " I'll be back."

That was a lie; she knew she wouldn't, not if she could help it.

The security guard nodded, unaware of her fib, and looking a fraction more severe than a second before. "You let me know if you can't find her."

Amelia nodded again, grateful, as he stepped aside.

A cool breeze wafted through Amelia as she left the overheated atmosphere, the chill slapped her cheeks and her body shivered at the temperature change. Amelia had gone out through the back entrance, so the parking lot was dark and empty, the only source of light coming from one flickering street lamp in the middle of the lot.

"Sabrina?" Amelia called looking around and making her way across the lot.

She decided to head towards the bushes, that seemed like the most likely place Sabrina would be in the utterly fried state she was in.

Amelia caught a bit of movement and a streak of muted red in the corner of her eye; she pivoted brushing back the strand of blonde hair that fell into her face and was ready to get the attention of the without a doubt _high_ psychology major when her breath caught in her throat.

At the far end of the lot, a couple of yards out, a man hooded and clad in black was loading a limp, unconscious looking woman into a van. It was so dark the shapes were barely noticeable, completely bathed in shadows, but the obnoxious shade of red of her friend's hair shone - just enough - for Amelia to be able to make out the figures and the context.

Amelia never labeled herself the type of person to react well in emergency, life or death- situations. Her frozen form attested to that, yet, at that moment, it took her less than a second to figure out exactly what was occurring.

A kidnapping. Her friend was being kidnapped.

The sheer panic that had been building up her throat finally bubbled out. Amelia's scream cut through the eerie quiet of winter, leaking of desperation and tasting like acid.

" _Sabrina!"_

* * *

 **February 3rd, 2010 (** _ **four months later)**_

 **Quantico, Virginia**

Dr. Spencer Reid of the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit couldn't help but notice that the man sitting in a booth with his arm slung across the shoulders of a pretty, significantly younger, blonde woman was cheating on his wife.

Spencer glanced over one more time from his table, taking a small sip of his overly sweet coffee, briefly cataloging the sandy-haired man's frantic eyes, tensed shoulders, the secluded location of the booth he chose to sit in and, his huddled position leaning into the woman as if he had something to hide - because he _did_ have something to hide.

An affair.

Statistics state that in over one-third of marriages in the United States, one or both partners will cheat on their significant others, most likely in the time frame between their second and fourth year of marriage. Experts estimated that twenty-five percent of men and fourteen percent of women cheat in a lifetime and, once that line of infidelity is crossed, the cheater is three-hundred and thirty-six percent more likely to cheat again.

Spencer personally never understood those statistics.

Though he rarely admitted it, to others or himself, Spencer wanted what those people so carelessly took for granted. He wanted a spouse, a companion, a partner, a friend. Someone to accept him and love him despite his faults - _because_ of his faults - like what JJ had with Will.

He couldn't imagine being lucky enough to have something like that, then throwing it away for petty reasons. How could someone claim to love another, then betray them like that? Maybe it was his romantic tendencies or naivety when it comes to relationships but, Spencer doubted that's how love and marriage worked.

He glanced over to the booth again, scowling as the man whispered something into the blonde woman's ear.

Spencer knew his bitterness didn't only stem from his morals. A part of him was jealous of the fact that not only could these people get _one_ person to like them, to build a relationship with them but, _two._ Spencer couldn't even get anyone to agree to do that with him.

Not that he put too much effort into finding someone anyway - he liked to consider to himself married to his job.

Or at least, that's what he told himself.

Deciding that introspection and bitterness didn't suit him, and that he needed to get to work, Spencer drained what he had left in his mug, got to his feet, shouldered the worn messenger bag and, headed to the door; ready to make his way to the parking lot where his car was before driving to the metal fences and large collection of buildings that made up the FBI headquarters.

As usual, Spencer deftly ducked around the group's tourists littered around the area snapping pictures of the headquarters, strolling in the gray, Virginia morning and towering at least a head above everyone else.

That was probably why he didn't see her coming.

Spencer was so focused on what was at eye level to him, he hadn't even bothered to look down until something solid and warm barreled into him in a blur of black cloth and untamed brown curls.

"Oof," Spencer grunted, staggering back dangerously and, instinctively clutching at the arms of whoever ran into him.

The intertwined strangers teetered for a moment, both shocked, while they tried to regain their footing before seeming to manage to end their swaying. There was a beat of silence where all they did was hold each other - exactly twenty-four seconds Spencer registered briefly- before they were letting each other go and taking equally flustered steps back.

Spencer flushed hotly, the anxiousness he usually felt at anyone invading his personal space rose and settled at the pit of his stomach like lead, but Spencer ignored it, looking down and zeroing his attention on the flustered female in front of him.

She was quite stunning, Spencer noted with a hitch in his breath, yet not in a conventional way.

The woman was young, no more than twenty-two or three Spencer deduced, her face rounded and soft, cheekbones pronounced and dusted pink from embarrassment. She was short, with a bronze glow to her skin, brown curly hair so thick it seemed to add a few inches to her small height and long, thick lashes that seemed to deepen her big, brown eyes.

Eyes that currently glanced up at him in horror.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking and I was in a rush and - _Dios,_ " she moaned, frantic and mortified all at once, "I just totally body slammed you, I'm so sorry."

Spencer recognized the Spanish words sprinkled into her apology and the slight accent in her voice.

"No. No, it's fine. I'm - I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention - are - are you okay?" he stuttered.

It's been so long since someone that wasn't a part of his team was this close to Spencer. It unnerved him a bit and he took another small step back.

The woman didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm just - wow - I can't believe I did that. How embarrassing. What about you? You okay? I didn't hurt you, right? Please say I didn't," she blabbed, hands fluttering in Spencer's direction.

The doctor shook his head his head at her.

"I'm not hurt. Arguably, it takes at least a hit with a force of 278 newtons to cause the correct amount of pressure to bruise the human body, while it takes a concentrated hit of 3,330 newtons to fracture a bone. You weren't running at the right speed to do any actual damage and the force you accumulated as you ran wasn't concentrated on one focal point so even if you could've hurt me you wouldn't have since you ran into me with your body and not a, for example, fist. Realistically all you would've done is knock me over."

Silence stretched between the two strangers and it took Spencer a moment to realize why the woman was staring at him like that, with her glossy lips parted and doe-like eyes glazed in shock; he'd gone on one of his "rants" which, according to Morgan and Garcia, was apparently not good when it came to normal everyday interactions.

"Sorry, I- " Spencer began but, he was cut off by a sharp exhale from the woman.

"Woah," she breathed, tilting her head up curiously. Spencer fidgeted as she openly gaped at him, which was usually the response he got when he let his words get away from him but, it didn't make it any less uncomfortable. "Well, that was awesomely specific. Good to know, thanks."

"Your welcome?"

The reply came out more as a question; Spencer couldn't quite pinpoint if she was being sarcastic or not.

"I was serious," she reassured with a friendly grin, seeming to sense Spencer's unease. Her gaze shifted to the now empty coffee cup in his hand. "Wow, imagine if you hadn't finished your drink already. This could've ended much differently."

Spencer nodded, awkwardly tightening the strap on his shoulder, "between the impact and the temperature from the spilled coffee which would've been between 145 to 185 degrees I definitely would've been knocked over."

The woman's eyebrows twitched in amusement at the unnecessary information.

"Ahhh, so you're a fun fact type of guy, cool," her face morphed into a grimace once she fully processed Spencer's words, "Ugh, how mortifying would that have been? And, you look so sharp. I would've ruined your clothes."

"Uhmm, thank you."

Spencer's ears burned at the compliment, his eyes darted to his purple button down. It wasn't anything special, it was what he usually wore to wore to work, minus a cardigan because of the lack of cold in the air. Spencer found himself silently grateful that he hadn't worn one of his "grandpa sweaters" as Morgan liked to call them.

Social norms dictated that Spencer should compliment her on her appearance as well, so, he fully looked at what she was wearing; black dress pants, a white blouse, and a blazer - bland professional clothing.

Clothing she obviously didn't wear outside of a professional setting based on the crisp newness of the outfit, the multiple piercings lining her ears, the black paint on her nail, the subtle eyeliner on the inner rims of her eyes and, the bohemian style rings she sported on every other finger - those told him, regularly, she was anything but bland.

Regardless, she looked very pretty and Spencer told her as much.

"You- you look nice as well."

She flashed Spencer a smile.

"Thanks. I don't usually dress like this but, I kinda have something important to do and I want to be taken seriously, you know? Figured if I don't look like a hippie or something they're bound to hear me out. I mean, they _have_ to I…" the woman trailed off before looking sheepishly up at the gangly man in front of her, "Sorry, I didn't mean to start oversharing. I'm just kinda nervous right now," the woman cringed, "and, I'm still oversharing. Sorry, I promise I'm not usually such a mess."

"It's fine. Anxiety is proven to make it extremely hard to control habits and behavioral desires." Spencer said, not noticing the shocked amusement fitting across the woman's expression, "Did you know research shows that your appearance strongly influences other people's perception of your financial success, authority, trustworthiness, intelligence, and suitability for hire or promotion? And, because perception is often reality, what you wear not only communicates who you are in the minds of others but also influences your level of career advancement?"

"I did not know that, though I kinda figured that's how things work. Did _you_ know that six million years ago the ancestors of humans and the ancestors of chimpanzees reproduced like, all the time? Just think about it, smartest beings on the planet and we're historically half-apes. Wild."

Spencer blinked down at the tiny girl, admittedly shocked.

That had to be the first time someone's ever responded to his informational word vomit with some facts of their own.

"Yes, I knew that. Among living primates humans are most closely related to apes, we share a decent amount of common ancestors and have similar characteristics. What does that have to do with clothes and anxiety?"

"Absolutely nothing," she shrugged, lips twitching playfully, "I just wanted to prove I know things too."

A sort of bewildered half laugh escaped from Spencer at her blunt words and he couldn't stop the full-blown smile from blossoming on his face when the sound of her soft giggle blended in with his laughter.

"Well, consider it proven." Spencer chuckled, a bit dazed at what was happening - Spencer didn't tend to connect with people, with _strangers_ , like this.

The 'Reid Effect' didn't usually allow it.

"Though," he continued, "It's highly probable I know more than you. Like, did you know, there is enough DNA in an average person's body to stretch from the sun to Pluto and back, seventeen times?"

"Alright smart guy I'll give you that but, consider this. Did you know, even though biological human races don't exist at the moment farther back in revolutionary history they did, like the Neanderthals and Homo Habilis's for example? There was actually an extinct homonin race nicknamed Hobbits and they were really short and hairy and looked nothing like Bilbo or Frodo."

"Yes, their scientific name is Homo Floresiensis. You read Lord of The Rings?"

Spencer couldn't help but find himself feeling at ease, not feeling awkward at all while talking to this mysteriously well-educated stranger with the easy-going attitude and ready grins. It was quite shocking.

"Yup. I love Tolkien's work and the movies were actually really good too, which never happens with film adaptations of books unless it's Harry Potter, obviously," Eva'seyes narrowed in determination,"Okay, here's another one. Did you know that Dinosaurs survived for more than 700,000 years after the earth was hit by the meteorite everyone thought killed them?"

"Yes. Did you know that you are paralyzed during your dreams? REM sleep, the stage of sleep during which dreaming occurs, is characterized by paralysis of the voluntary muscles."

" _Mierda_ , I didn't know that. That's horrifying. On the topic of horrifying, did you know in the Sudanese Latuka tribe, when a man wants to marry a woman, he kidnaps her? Like straight up disappears into the night with her. Elderly members of his family go and ask the girl's father for her hand in marriage, and if the _papá_ agrees, he beats the shit out of the suitor as a sign of his acceptance."

Spencer blinked at that one, "I did not know that, no."

Eva brightened up immediately, "Really?! So, I win?"

Spencer refrained from mentioning that technically he had won many times over already.

"Yes, you win," if she continued to smile at Spencer like that he wouldn't mind losing again, "Where is the Sudanese Latuka tribe located?"

"Africa."

"I'll have to do some research on that."

"Cool, if you ever need more information like that again, I got a lot more where that came from," she joked back, smiling just as wide as Spencer. "I'm Eva by the way."

"I'm Spencer."

Not Doctor, not Reid, not Agent - just Spencer. How long had it been since he'd introduced himself without a title?

"Well," the woman - _Eva_ \- said, thrusting a delicate, manicured hand forward, "it's a pleasure to meet you, Spencer."

Spencer stiffened, eyes darting to her outstretched hand.

Spencer didn't shake hands, he liked to keep his personal space just that, _personal_ , and didn't touch anyone but his team and his mother. But, staring down at the small smiling woman with her ridiculously large eyes, unruly hair, strange accessories and natural warmth he found himself _wanting_ to shake her hand; wanting to be normal, just this once, and not ruin any… _bond_ that might've been forming between them

"Or, not," Eva muttered lowly at his hesitation, face falling and arm making its way back to her side.

Spencer's arm shot forward, almost without permission, and caught the retreating hand. He maneuvered his hand to clasp hers, the mixture of the heat from their touching palms and the coolness of her rings so foreign he had to fight the urge to flinch back from the sensation.

"Nice to meet you, Eva," Spencer said, giving her hand a firm shake, careful to keep eye contact and a smile in place as he did it.

It wasn't too difficult to do once he shoved down the urge to let go, there was something mesmerizing about the way she had to lift her chin to meet his gaze. Spencer even noticed a couple of specks of gold in the muted brown color of her eyes, enhanced by the dark ink on her inner lids.

He thought they looked lovely.

By the time their arms fell back to their respective sides, the disappointment that clouded Eva's expression had lifted and been replaced with the brightness Spencer was quickly starting to associate her with.

A brightness that quickly dimmed as a surge of uncertainty sparked between them. Spencer cleared his throat as they fell into silence, neither of them knowing where the conversation should go from there and staring at each other from under their lashes.

The early morning grey was slowly fading, sunshine pushed its way through the clouds, the sidewalk around them seemed to grow more lively and the sounds of traffic grew exponentially. Spencer could tell it was closer to eight now than seven, at this point he'd be late for work, yet he couldn't find it in himself to mind too much - even with the lag in conversation.

"Well," Eva chirped, tucking a few wild strands of hair behind her ear before the brewing awkward between them could settle, "I have to head out if I wanna get some coffee and make it to my meeting..."

She seemed to have come to the same conclusion.

"Right, yeah, of course. I have to go too or I'll be late for work."

Eva smirked coyly, "If we had more time I'd ask you what a know-it-all like you does for a living."

For the first time, Spencer didn't feel any sting deep in his chest from being called a know-it-all, somehow he knew from her it was said without any of the usual negative connotations.

"If we had more time I'd tell you and ask the same."

"I wonder if I'd answer," she teased back.

Spencer wondered briefly if this was what flirting felt like. The thought immediately made his temporarily forgotten insecurities rear their head, and any chance he had at continuing the banter was shot.

"Umm, right so, good luck with your meeting…"

"Yeah, thanks," was Spencer imagining the hint of disappointment in her tone? "Sorry again for, you know, physically attacking you and all."

"You didn't physically attack me. A physical attack is defined as an assault purposefully meant to harm or gravely injured. You just ran into me; it was completely harmless."

Eva moved around Spencer, preparing to join the crowd in the direction of the coffee shop but, she still lingered. Spencer took a couple of steps in the direction he knew his car was parked at, still facing her, biding his time.

"Nice to know I'm forgiven."

Her rich orbs fitted up and met Spencers, their stares locking, probing, a flurry of questions and invitations silently shared. _Say something, stop me, do something, make a move._

They both felt it, the beginnings of a spark, a flicker of a blaze that could maybe grow into something brilliant and beautiful if they gave it a chance.

Yet, neither moved.

They were stuck in limbo, both excited and scared at the connection between them; excited at the possibilities, scared of rejection, torn because that specific connection could only exist - could only be cultivated - with that particular stranger across from them. A stranger - someone they barely knew - but, someone they _wanted_ to know all the same.

It was frightening, it was exciting, it was nerve-wracking, and it was the chance Spencer had wished for just moments ago. To have the opportunity to meet someone willing to give him the time of day - but, he couldn't bring himself to do something about it.

Like magnets torn between allowing themselves to repel one another or succumbing to the pull running between them, they hovered around each other. Repelling and attracting each other simultaneously - loaded with indecision, with yearning.

Finally, it was Eva who broke the stillness they had fallen into, taking a few steps back to join the sea of people flowing like an ocean's tides around them.

She looked apologetic as she moved away.

"Bye, Spencer."

Eva, in all her tiny curvy glory, pivoted, her hair swishing and bouncing as she followed the crowd, an entity all of its own.

Watching Eva walk away from him, Spencer remembered a conversation he had ages ago with Elle. It wasn't particularly an important conversation or a memorable one, but Spencer's memory was long and he could recall every word said. They resonated through his skull now.

" _Reid, I don't know how you know half of what you know, but I'm glad you do."_

" _Do you think what I know is why I can't get a date?"_

" _Have you ever asked anyone on a date?"_

" _No."_

" _Then, that's why you can't get a date."_

The remark, at that moment, struck a chord in Spencer. " _That's why you can't get a date."_

Before Spencer could consciously make the decision, his feet were moving and he was shoving through the horde of people, ignoring the few grunts of displeasure he was met with.

" _That's why you can't get a date."_

"Eva!" he called, jogging up slightly to catch up to her.

At the call, Eva stopped in her tracks and turned to face Spencer, who was delighted to see how her shoulders seemed to sag in relief and how her mouth twitched as if she was fighting a smile.

"Yes?" she asked, raising a dark brow and biting the bottom of her grinning lip adorably.

"Umm... I was - I just wondered if well- … I was wondering if..." Spencer cringed, drifting off. The morning breeze and his newly cut hair did nothing to quell the heat radiating off the back of Spencer's neck and he wondered how some men, _Morgan_ , made this seem so easy.

Eva, on the other hand, looked endeared as she beamed up at him, snickering quietly at his stutterings and obvious inexperience.

"If you could have my number?" she finished for him warmly, "You totally can, if that's what you were asking for I mean."

Spencer released a breath he didn't even realize he was holding, "Yeah… I'd like that."

"Me too," she grinned before making a 'come here' motion with her hand,"I don't have a piece of paper on me. Take out your phone so I can put it in your contacts."

"Oh right," Spencer said, beginning to rummage through his pockets for his phone. For the first time, he was actually thankful for work forcing him to have one, "here."

Eva made quick work of punching the number in and saving it to his contacts, "Alrighty, there you go. Just text me when you can and I'll save your number," she glanced back to the direction she was heading before, " I really do need to go but I'll talk to you soon, right?"

"Definitely," Spencer nodded, mind already whirring to find any information he had stored on the appropriate waiting time period between texting someone after getting their number, while simultaneously saving her happy expression at his words in the forefront of his memory.

"Great! Bye again, Spencer," she said, throwing Spencer a broad grin over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Bye, Eva," he replied, turning to head toward his car, not completely positive that the encounter had actually occurred.

One thing Spencer did know for sure though was that he was going to be late.

He couldn't find it in him to care.

* * *

 _In the New Thought philosophy,_ _ **The Law of Attraction**_ _is the belief that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts people can bring positive or negative experiences into their life._


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Review Responses -**

 **Lucccccccy : _Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! I'm def gonna keep writing lol. Thanks for the review!_**

 **Ahowell1993: _I LOL'D when I read your review! I feel the same way about Maeve don't worry I'm planning on changing up the plot a little and making my own cases for Spence and the BAU to go on so no Maeve. Thanks for the compliment and for the review! Hope you enjoy this chapter!_**

 **Thanks to all the Guests who reviewed!**

 **Hope all the first time readers enjoy! Please let me know what you think!**

* * *

 _Abraham Hicks wrote, "The entire universe is conspiring to give you everything you want."_

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

Spencer was still in a daze when he walked through the glass doors to the Behavioral Analysis Unit headquarters.

"Hey, Pretty Boy! You're late," Morgan called from his place on his desk, sounding too smug to be considered professional. The rest of the team - Rossi, Garcia, JJ, Prentiss, and even Hotch - were gathered around the cluster of desks in the middle of the room.

If Spencer had been more coherent, he probably would've noticed how out of place that was and recognized it as a sign that today would be different than any other day

"I've finally seen it all," Rossi joked from his place next to Prentiss, "Reid with short hair and now, late. This is a month of changes."

The team still hadn't let go of Spencer's haircut.

"So have I," Prentiss added, with a lift in her thin brow, smirking over at the incoming Doctor.

"Uh, yeah, sorry," Spencer said distractedly, moving past them to drop his stuff off at his desk. He didn't notice his teammates share confused glances.

"What? No, witty excuse or boring statistic on the average amount of time someone late to work in their lifetime?" Morgan asked.

Spencer didn't even spare him a glance.

"One in five Americans arrive late for work at least once a week while just under half, about forty-eight percent, are actually never late for work in their lifetimes."

"Well you can count yourself out of that forty-eight percent now," Prentiss responded, but her heart wasn't in the tease. She shared a glance with Hotch who also had confusion etched into the lines of his face. Spencer was acting weird and they didn't need to be profilers to know it.

JJ was the one to mention it first.

"Everything alright, Spence? You're never late," she asked carefully.

Spencer looked up from his desk when he heard her, finally looking at the furrowed faces of his gathered teammates.

"What? Yeah, everything's fine. Sorry, I'm late, won't happen again."

"Reid, it's okay. Everyone deserves a snooze day," Hotch assured, a bit of concern showing through his usually serious exterior, "may I ask why you're late?"

"Ahh," Spencer wracked his brain to find a reasonable excuse. He settled on a half-truth, "Stopped to get my morning coffee, and it took longer than usual. No big deal."

It wasn't that Spencer wanted to hide things from his team, or that he wouldn't tell them eventually about Eva - if things worked out - he just knew that they would get overexcited and harass him about her for a while to come.

Plus, he didn't want to suffer the embarrassment of their pitying glances and sympathetic words if nothing did come from this like it did with Lila Archer almost three years ago.

"The Nook?" Garcia asked, "their usually so good about making their coffee quick, yummy and perfectly scalding," her eyes behind her glasses narrowed, and she waved her brightly colored pen in his direction. "I may not be a profiler, but you're hiding things, _mon cherie_ and you're using my favorite caffeine establishment to do it. Shame on you."

"What? I'm not hiding anything!" Spencer said, but even to his own ears it sounded defensive and a little too high-pitched.

"Nice, Reid. Very convincing." Morgan deadpanned, wholly unconvinced.

Hotch took a step closer "Reid is everything alright? We have a big case today, and I need to know you're not compromised."

Spencer cleared his throat, cursing the observational skills of profilers. "I promise I'm fine Hotch. Just running late, and I didn't get enough coffee today. Caffeine is a commonplace central nervous system stimulant drug which occurs in nature as part of the coffee, so caffeine dependence is very common and without fully satisfying that-"

"Okaaay," Prentiss interrupted, with a roll of her eyes, "yeah he's fine."

The team shared a chuckle, even Hotch's lips twitched, "Alright, just cut back on the coffee Reid."

Spencer shifted sheepishly, "yes sir." he mumbled.

Thankfully, the team switched their attention back to one another rather than solely on him. Spencer enjoyed the solitude for a few moments before JJ interrupted.

"Well, did you at least enjoy your morning? It's a good thing to break routine once and awhile you know," she said, leaning a hand on Spencer's shoulder.

Spencer immediately thought of Eva at the mention of breaking routine being a good thing. His overactive mind began to whirl once again. When should he text her? He had to be the one to do it since she didn't have his number. Why didn't he just give her his number so the responsibility wasn't his to reach out first? He could've used science magic and hid it behind her ear. Morgan always said women love magic…

"Spencer?"

"Yeah, yeah," he mumbled, "It was great, she's great."

Spencer caught his slip-up just a moment too late and groaned silently.

"She?" JJ said sharply, catching the attention of all the other Agents in the room.

"What she?" Morgan asked, immediately perking up.

"There's a she?" Emily said, eyes bulging in a way Spener could interpret as a bit offensive.

"Oh-ho-ho!" Garcia laughed, grinning so widely she resembled the Cheshire cat rather than an FBI operative, "Does our resident genius have a lady friend? Is that why he's late? How exciting! I knew this day would come! Who is she? Is she pretty? Is she smart? _Oh,_ " Garcia gasped, " Is she a lady genius?"

"Garcia!" Spencer protested, but no one was listening.

"Wow, now I really have seen it all," Rossi interjected, looking incredibly proud, "it's about damn time kid."

Morgan let out a deep, belly aching laugh, "Looks like pretty boys got some moves. Finally used that big brain for the right reasons."

"Hey!" Catching and incarcerating serial killers seemed like a good way to use his intellect if you asked him.

"Who is she, Spence?" JJ asked, calm and sensitive as ever. Spencer glanced over at her soft expression and the shine in her blue eyes; she looked happy for him, but Spencer was still unsure if he wanted to share that information, especially now. JJ seemed to sense his insecurity. "We only want to know because we care."

"Yeah, don't you dare keep us in the dark Spencer Reid! I've been waiting for this day to come for like the past bajillion years. I need to know if she matches the picture of "Reids perfect woman" that I have in my head." Garcia agreed, shuffling closer to stand at Reid's other-side. "Spill."

"Do you think about the perfect woman for me often Garcia?"

"Oh!" she yelped, pointing a brightly manicured finger at Spencer, " that's deflecting! He's deflecting. Morgan, he's deflecting right?"

Morgan nodded, "Oh yeah. Pretty Boys trying to avoid the question. Come on Reid, share with the class."

Prentiss, completely unnecessarily, pulled out a chair, "I gotta sit for this."

"Hotch," Spencer was getting desperate now, "don't we have a case."

"We're waiting for Strauss. Debrief isn't for another fifteen minutes," in a move that Spencer thought was so unlike yet so like Hotch; he made a show of leaning against the edge of Morgans desk. "Go on then."

"Where do I start?" Spencer signed, resigned to just telling these nosy people what they wanted to know - if not they'd never leave him alone.

"How about the beginning," Rossi said.

"Well, I woke up at 6:17 a.m this morning -"

"Not _that_ beginning," he interjected with an exasperated sigh.

"Spence, how about you just tell us how you met?" JJ requested with a smile, nodding at him to start again.

"It's not as serious as you guys think. We met just this morning while I was on my way to work."

"At the coffee shop you always go to?"

"Oh, I knew that place was magical," Garcia squealed.

"No, I had just left the coffee shop. She ran right into me."

"Awww, was it like in those movies where the protagonists bump into each other and their papers fall and then they both bend to pick them up all blubbering and apologizing and then their fingers graze and their eyes meet and it's love at first sight and - "

"Baby Girl, why don't we just let Reid tell us and you can moon over it later?"

"Fine, I shall save my mooning for a later time. So the future Mrs. Reid ran into you, continue."

Spencer's throat cleared, his cheeks felt too hot, "Ummm, okay. She ran into me and… I don't know we apologized to each other."

"Well, what did you guys say to each other after?"

"Wait! You have to complete the scene so I can imagine it in my head. What did she look like?"

"Yeah, I'm with my Baby Girl on that one. Was she hot?" Morgan asked.

" Well, she was blushing, so her body temperature was above normal -"

"No, Reid," Garcia groaned, "He means is she pretty?"

"Yes."

"How pretty?"

"Stunning," Spencer stated with authority.

The girls melted at his words; the men nodded impressed.

"Like pretty in what way? Brunette? Redhead? Tall, short? Blonde?"

Surprisingly it was Hotch who piped up next, "Reid loves his tall blondes."

An image of his former crushes JJ and Lila Archer came to mind.

"She's not tall or blonde. She's rather short and, I'm pretty sure, Hispanic."

Everyone in the room straightened up at this new information, but no one seemed more pleased than Derek.

"Ha Ha! The white boy likes himself a Latina! Man, it's always the shy ones with a torch for the hotties."

Spencer didn't know what to say to that.

"Welcome to the dark side," Garcia purred at Spencer as she caressed of Morgan's bicep, "where we love us some ethnic flavor."

Spencer didn't know what to say to that either.

Prentiss and Rossi simply laughed heartily at the exchange.

"Guys, come on appearance isn't everything." JJ chastised with a roll of her eyes. "So what did she say when you bumped into each other?"

"Well, after she apologized for bumping into me she asked if I was okay and if she hurt me. I told her that I wasn't hurt because it takes at least a hit with a force of 278 newtons to cause the correct amount of pressure to bruise the human body, while it takes a concentrated hit of 3,330 newtons to fracture a bone and she wasn't running fast enough to do any actual damage and the force she hit me with wasn't concentrated."

"So, you ranted at her?" Emily surmised.

"I wouldn't call it a rant -"

JJ interrupted before an argument can break out, "And, how did she react?"

"She seemed a little shocked at first -"

"I bet," Rossi muttered, but Spencer ignored him.

" - Then she said, well, that's specific, good to know, thanks."

"Spencer," JJ began cautiously, " do you think maybe she was sarcastic."

"I thought that at first too, but I think she realized that I thought she was being sarcastic and then assured me she was serious. Then she said, Wow, imagine if you hadn't finished your drink already this could've ended much differently."

"And, let me guess. You told her the exact amount of times it could've ended differently and gave her a play by play of how that would've gone down." Morgan said.

Spencer shook his head no, not being able to decide if he was upset by Morgans words or flattered he knew him so well. That did sound like something that Spencer would do.

"No, I told her that I definitely would've been knocked over. She said that would've been mortifying and was upset that she would've messed up my clothes…" a strange mix of embarrassment and pride welled up in Spencer's chest when he remembered her compliment, he decided to omit the next part of the conversation, though, deciding that was too personal."She seemed flustered, and she rambled a little bit about having a meeting and wanting to be taken seriously."

"She sounds young," Hotch deduced.

"She looked about early twenties. I didn't ask."

Rossi raised a heavy brow, "younger than you? Lucky guy."

"Okay, okay this is great, and all but you haven't answered the big question. Is she or is she not a lady genius?" Garcia interjected, her impatience practically palpable by that point.

"She seemed very knowledgeable," Spencer relented, trying hard to hide the dreamy haze he knew would probably cloud his expression at the thought of their little 'did you know' game. It was the first mentally stimulating conversation he'd had with a member of the opposite sex, and he liked it. "She knew something I didn't know."

The team looked shocked and their exclamations fused together, only Hotch remained silent.

"What?!"

"No way."

"Good woman."

"Ugh, there's two of them."

"She told me about a tribe," Spencer said loudly over their words, "she told me about the ritual of an African tribe where its custom when a man wants to marry a woman, he kidnaps her and to accept the marriage proposal the father beats the groom."

"Okay, wait, I'm sorry." Prentiss said, "How did an African tribal ritual come up in this conversation?"

"Emily, don't question it! A stunning woman filled with as much useless knowledge as Reid? They're soulmates!" Garcia babbled, bouncing on her toes in excitement.

"No, I'm with Prentiss on this one. How did this come up, Redi?" Hotch asked, looking particularly interested in the answer.

Spencer was trying very hard not to focus on Garcia quip about soulmates.

"I kept on spouting out statistics during the conversation, so she brought up some random facts she knew to as she said," Spencer made air quotes with his fingers, " 'prove that she knows things too.' It turned into a game of sharing information."

"That's cute," JJ said with a grin, "so you guys bonded?"

He knew they did.

"I guess."

"Hey, Reid. What's her name?" Morgan asked.

"Her name is Eva," Morgan opened his mouth but, Spencer beat him to it, "yes Morgan I got her number."

"There you go, kid!" Rossi hooted while the rest of the BAU voiced their approval.

As Spencer fidgeted by his desk fighting a smile and secretly pleased at the entire conversation, JJ leaned over.

"I'm so happy for you, Spence. You deserve this."

"It might not be anything JJ," Spencer admitted, finally voicing his thoughts, "All I did was get her number. She might not even come to like me. I might not even come to like her."

There was a very low chance of that happening but, if that one disastrous date with JJ taught him anything, it's that you never know.

JJ shook her head, thankfully the rest of the team had stopped listening and continued talking amongst themselves, "Spence, regardless, it's a big step up. You just asked out a girl for the first time. A stranger you met and felt a connection with and made the decision to reach out to, it's a milestone."

Spencer hummed thoughtfully; there was truth in her words.

Even if a relationship with Eva didn't work out - friendship or otherwise - at least he could be proud of himself for trying; which is something he'd never done before.

JJ was right; it was a step up.

"Thanks, JJ" Spencer finally whispered, before peeking over at her "You'd be willing to give me advice right?"

She bumped her shoulders playfully with his, "Of course, Spencer. Can't have you messing this up with the lady genius, " she teased.

"It's doubtful that Eva is actually a genius. Probability wise, it's more likely she has either above average intelligence, or she is of the 'highly gifted' category which is the IQ range two places below genius. Due to her young age, she hasn't reached her full intellectual potential yet which is why two places down is the more likely as opposed to right below -"

"Alright, Spence. I get it. You're the only genius around," JJ laughed.

Spencer opened his mouth to retort - then probably ask about when he should text Eva for the first time - when Hotch's baritone silenced all the other sidebar conversations going on.

"Who is that?"

Spencer turned to Hotch, noting the how his face deepened in what seemed like distrust, before following the Unit Leaders line of sight, and feeling himself stiffen at what he saw.

His mind blanked in shock and his breath caught in his throat.

Standing at the front of the closed glass doors outside the BAU's headquarters, speaking to Cheif Strauss as she rummaged through the papers in her hands, was Eva.

Words from earlier floated back to the forefront of his mind, _"I kinda have something important to do, and I want to be taken seriously, you know?"_

Something important to do. How could Spencer be so stupid? How could he miss this? Why else would someone who was preparing for a meeting be in a coffee shop in Quantico, Virginia of all places?

"It's her," Spencer breathed.

"What?" JJ asked as Garcia gasped out a shocked, " _like her her?"_

"That's Eva."

"Reid, what is she doing here?" Hotch demanded, voice hushed yet still severe.

"I don't know I didn't tell her I worked here," Spencer whispered back hurriedly.

"Why is she with Strauss?" Morgan asked, glancing between the two men and not bothering to whisper.

Spencer continued to stare at the girl behind the doors, wondering the same himself and unable to come up with an answer.

"Ahhh, so, it seems there's more than meets the eye when it comes to Reid's new lady friend." Rossi sighed, leaning back in his seat leisurely. "Maybe Garcia wasn't too far off with the whole soulmate thing."

"She can't be an Agent. Her behavior doesn't fit one of an Agent. Do you think she's an analyst?" Spencer asked, not expecting an answer but feeling better for saying it all the same.

Spencer could see Eva as an analyst… smart and quirky and sharp like Garcia.

Prentiss swiveled over to face Spencer, "You profiled her already, Ried?"

Spencer glanced at her wide, disapproving eyes.

"Not good?" he asked.

"No, Reid. Not good."

Spencer shrugged lightly, but he did feel a twinge of guilt for not controlling his mind a bit better.

"It's a habit."

Any response Prentiss would've given him was lost when the two woman behind the door began to move toward it, Strauss powering ahead and Eva trailing behind.

"Oh, they're coming, they're coming," then Garcia gasped, "Oh! She is pretty."

Spencer personally thought that was an understatement, Eva looked even better now than she did earlier.

He watched her walk through the door, the fluorescent light hitting her wild curls at certain angles that made the strands glow reddish-brown. Spencer noticed for the first time how the generic, white blouse hugged her torso snugly and how the all-black converse she was wearing clashed with her outfit.

Spencer thought it looked good anyway.

Eva was glancing around the office with wide eyes, not yet noticing the flock of Agents in the middle of the room.

"Reid, as of now you guys don't know each other," Hotch ordered quietly, before straightening up to go meet the incoming women.

"Chief Strauss," he greeted loud enough for the entire room to here and offered his hand, "good to see you again."

"Hello, Agent Hotchner," Strauss said giving Hotch a shake before turning to the smaller woman at her side, "this is Eva Martinez."

Spencer stored her last name in his memory, rolling and repeating the name in his head. Eva Martinez… Martinez… If there was any question of her Latin decent before, it was gone now.

"Hi, Agent," she said, smiling crookedly and reaching for his hand, "How you doing."

"Nice to meet you," Hotchner replied nodding toward the younger woman.

Once their hand unclasped Hotch turned back to the Chief, "The teams here, we're ready for the briefing when you are."

"Let's go, then." Strauss nodded, brushing past Hotch to lead the way, forcing the man to follow.

Eva trailed behind Hotchner before stopping a few feet behind the two older Agents as they approached the team.

Spencer watched from across the room, with held breath, waiting for Eva to catch sight of him as her attention trailed over every member of the team.

It was after she had shared a brief look with JJ that her eyes moved toward Spencer and locked on him, making her start and jump in her place a few feet away. Confusion, shock, and disbelief moved through her expression, her nose twitching and eyebrows scrunching up as they did.

Questions danced in her eyes, and Spencer desperately tried to answer them and ask some with his own.

They held eye contact for a moment longer as the members of the BAU greeted their Chief, neither of them knowing what to do, and waiting for the other to make some sort of move for the second time today

Eventually, after what felt like minutes but was only a few seconds, Eva released a quiet breath, her shoulders sagging and shrugging softly, an act of acceptance, as if she was saying 'well, what can you do?. Her full lips quirked up as the questions disappeared from the brown abyss of her eyes. Instead, they glimmered with something else now, like a shared joke.

Despite knowing everyone on his team was staring at him from the corner of their eyes, Spencer couldn't stop the way his face softened at her uneven little grin or quench the urge he had to grant her a smile of his own; he knew if Strauss were to see him gazing and smiling at Eva like he was she'd say something, but he couldn't help it.

Spencer had been nervous to see how she would react when she noticed him, but here she was, this woman that he just met not even an hour ago, acting like they were long-time friends and releasing the full force of her easy charm on him with just a look.

"Agents," Strauss said once the initial greetings were, jerking Spencer's attention back to his boss. Spencer realized that he had already made his first mistake by not greeting her "thank you for waiting. We have a case, and it's a… sensitive one. We're putting the best on the job."

It was Rossi who responded, "Glad you thought of us, Chief."

Strauss smirked, just barely, at the Italian man and motioned Eva forward, "This is Eva, she will be working with your team on the case. Her credentials and the reasoning for her assistance will be discussed in the briefing."

Eva drifted forward, looking over the team one more time, "Hey, nice to meet you guys."

"Eva," Hotch started, "this is Agents Rossi, Morgan, Prentiss, Jarreau, Doctor Reid and, our technical analyst, Penelope Garcia."

Eva took the time to briefly clasp hands with every member at the team, nodding at them and muttering a low "pleasure" as Hotch named them off; Spencer and Eva, in an unspoken agreement, acted as if they didn't know each other, nodding at one another briefly before turning away.

Her eyes did hover on Garcia though.

"That is a great look." Eva chuckled good-naturedly, " I appreciate your dedication to the color scheme."

Garcia was wearing a purple dress today, with purple lipstick, shoes, accessories and clad with purple pens - and she was absolutely beaming at Eva.

"Oh, I like you. You are now my friend, and my friends call me Garcia, Penelope, Pen or Hacker Goddess of the CyberWeb Supreme. I'm not picky."

Eva snorted and tried to smother the chortle building up her throat behind her hand, "Got it," she said, voice muffled and humored.

Damn, if she was going to act that adorable throughout the entire case, Spencer was in trouble.

Strauss, on the other hand, did not look as amused as Spencer or the rest of the BAU,", now is not the time for your quips. If we could all make our way to the briefing room please."

"Sorry ma'am," Garcia muttered, moving quickly up the ramp to the briefing room.

Spencer went out of his way to follow after Garcia quickly, trying to put as much distance between him and Eva as possible. He might've slipped up a little during the pleasantries but, this was his job, they were on a case, and Hotch gave him an order, he would stay professional and act like he and Eva had never met.

Spencer had a feeling Eva was smart enough to follow his lead.

* * *

 _Simon Van Booy once said, "Coincidences mean you're on the right path."_

* * *

 **Question _: Do you guys have any fun facts that you woul like Spencer or Eva to share? I need some ammunition for Spencer's fact rants. That cutie lol._**

 _ **Please R &R! Thanks **_


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hello again! Hope you guys are enjoying my story so far! Right now it's just intro stuff but, I'm hoping I can get this case done in 1 or 2 more chapters so we can get to the dating and the romance *wink wink***

 **Review Responses :**

 **ILR(guest): _Thanks! AND OMG SAME! I hate when_ the _make the O.C's an agent but,_ I _knew doing this I didn't want her to be like most of the other Reid OC's on here. It's like their either Agents or the librarian-baker-poet-glasses and skirts type. I wanted to do something different. Hopes this delivers! Let me know what you think! Oh, and thanks for letting me know about the mistake before! I fixed it. THANKS FOR THE CONSISTENT REVIEWS_!**

 **Cherubim (guest): L _ol! Me too girl, glad you liked my story, and I hope you like this chapter!_**

 **FreyaCabanas: _Girl thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked what you read so far! Thanks for taking the time to review and I hope_** _**you enjoy this chapter!.**_

 **PrettyLittleHeads: _Thanks!_**

 **ahowell1993: _She will! Thanks for the review!_**

 **o-renishiii: _Thank you! Enjoy this Chap!_**

 **Thanks for the reviews! The favorites and the follows guys! Enjoy! Obviously, Eva's job was inspired by the job in the show Bones. I recommend it!**

* * *

 _"Like bones to the human body, the axle to the wheel, the wing to the bird, and the air to the wing, so is liberty the essence of life. Whatever is done without it is imperfect."_

 _\- Jose Marti_ **  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

Eva had no idea what in the hell was going on.

Everything that had happened her in the last day seemed to be something out of a book, or a tv show.

First, Eva got called into her boss's boss's _boss_ office which was already occupied by several men in black and some tough looking blonde bureaucrat lady who were all there to tell her (not ask, _tell_ her) that her "expertise" is being loaned out ( _loaned_ as if she was a pen you give to the girl next to you in class) to the FBI to help catch some psycho serial killer and she was expected in Virginia the following day.

Then, after a frantic rest of the day and a night of calling her parents, signing papers and having one of the men in black who was actually an FBI psychologist analyze her to make sure Eva's _"_ _fit for the stress of a high paced, high stakes environment"_ , she had to take an early metro from Washington to Virginia.

It was the first time Eva's used the metro in her life, and it was awful – a tight, enclosed space going hundreds of miles per hour loaded with musty smelling strangers and sketchy looking people.

She hated it.

Things were looking pretty terrible for Eva honestly. She didn't know what she was doing, she was nervous, out of her depth and just not ready for whatever was happening – but, then she ran into him.

A surprise like everything the else that had occurred in the twenty-fours hours since walking into the office yesterday, but unlike the others, a good one.

The awkward, adorable, smart and strangely hot man with the facts, light curly hair, gangly limbs, hazel eyes and endearing nervousness.

Admittedly, he wasn't the type Eva usually went for but, speaking to him for just those few moments was _exhilarating._ The mix of his knowledge and his boyishness, his leanness, and softness was beautiful -poetic even.

Eva realized instantly he wasn't the type for small pleasantries and boring small talk, which was something she'd never experienced, at least not with men her age. Eva worked in the Smithsonian museum as an anthropologist and fossil specialist, which meant she was a full-time scholar. All the people she spent her time with were academics in their mid-forties.

Which was fine with her, Eva found that she got along better with grumpy old men than people her age anyway.

To her utter surprise, it seemed that Spencer was also a kindred spirit. A man not of his time; she connected with Spencer the same way she connected with her co-workers and bosses. The difference was Spencer was attractive and her age - definitely worth getting to know.

And, that helped.

Eva figured she might have to do this - work with the FBI despite having major reservations - but at least when she came back, she would have something new and exciting to look forward to. A possibility of a relationship (friendship or otherwise) beyond late nights with other anthropologists working on exhibits and taking a bit of the workload off their shoulders so they could go home to their families because she was young and, unlike her married colleagues, unattached; she had no one to go back to.

That optimism she had in maybe having something to be excited about when she got back was what calmed Eva's frazzled nerves during her brief talk with the blonde bureaucrat, Chief Strauss, before walking through the doors to the BAU offices.

Chief Strauss had made it clear that Eva was to stay out of the team's way. She would be joining only to do her job and help only when asked; which Eva was more than okay with it.

She spent her time studying subjects like evolutionary history, mummies, fossils, skeletons, reconstruction of artifacts, primates, dinosaurs, unorthodox modern cultures... not killers and psychos. If that's what she wanted Eva would've gone the forensics route instead of focusing on museum and research.

Then, after greeting the stoic Agent Hotchner, she saw him again. Spencer, an Agent, a member of the Behavioral Analysis Unit she would be helping.

Yet another surprise.

When they had locked eyes, both were notably shocked and curious, questions passing between them rapidly. _What are you doing here? What do you do? Who are you?_ But, eventually, Spencer's anxious face broke her curious haze.

He had looked so worried of her reaction, so shocked by her presence that all she wanted was to soothe him and tell him it was okay; let him know that their meeting again, working together, was a good thing – another pleasant surprise.

So she relaxed, smiled and shrugged a bit - tried to put him at ease by showing him that she was too.

The way his face had softened at her, his worry seeming to melt off his expression to make way for a smile so small and sweet with just the right amount of shyness, shot a burst of warmth through her so intense if Eva were more of a softie she would've teared up.

Oh yeah, he was definitely worth getting to know.

Eva contemplated this as she trailed behind the group of Agents up the ramp, not quite feeling like she belonged - absolutely knowing she didn't.

At least, Garcia made her feel welcomed, she seemed like a trip.

Once everyone filed their way into a dark meeting room with a small round table, and a TV hung on the opposite wall, the Agents took their seats, Agent Strauss stayed standing with Eva hanging back to lean by the transparent window.

"Agents, you guys will be heading to Tonton, North Carolina. Specifically, the area around The Nantahala National Forest."

Strauss pointed the remote in her hand behind her, turning on the TV and displaying the victim to everyone in the room; a young, college-aged girl with red hair and lip piercing.

"This is Sabrina Mason abducted four months ago, at a local club in the middle of the night. She was found dead three days ago."

"Her body was dumped in the forest," Agent Morgan summarised, glancing up at the smiling girl on the TV.

"Yes, she was, but not in the way you expect it."

Strauss pressed another button on the remote, and the picture screen changed. The picture was of a body, a complete skeleton, preserved in some kind of plastic wrap on a forest floor.

As soon as Eva saw it, she understood why she was here.

"Woah," the dark-haired woman, Agent Prentiss, gasped.

"She's already decomposed," Spencer mused, leaning forward in his seat, "Completely skeletonized. Assuming she's been dead for four months there's no way she could have decomposed that quickly organically."

"You think the unsub used some sort of chemical component to speed up the decomposition process?" Agent Hotchner asked from his place at the head of the table.

Chief Strauss nodded, "We know he is. Despite the rate of decomposition, the M.E's report state that the girl had only been dead less than two weeks. They were able to find leftover chemical components on the body that prove the Unsub is purposefully skeletonizing his victims."

"There's no way this is his first victim," Agent Morgan chimed in, "Right away we know this is professional, efficient and we can't even tell how she died in the first place. This man is highly intelligent, and he's obviously perfected his craft. Sabrina Mason can't be the first time this man has killed."

"That is correct Agent Morgan," Strauss agreed grimly, "Sabrina Mason is not his first victim."

The screen changed again, and the image made even the veteran Agents shift uncomfortably.

Garcia looked particularly horrified.

"A mass grave," Spencer whispered.

The image showed a forest surrounding a giant dig site, one that would be no different than the types Eva had seen in her time as an anthropologist. But instead of little fossils and artifacts that site was filled to the brim with human skeletons - Eva counted seven of them right off the bat, and that wasn't even including the brittle looking ones that have already started to fall apart.

"This grave site was also found in the Nantahala National Forest, eight miles from the site where Sabrina Mason was found."

"Why was Sabrina Mason found separately?" JJ inquired

"Maybe she means something to the Unsub? He wanted to give her her own grave, away and untouched from all his other victims?" Rossi guessed.

"The way he preserved the body, dressed her up in plastic wrap, gave the girl her own site, could hint at remorse for this victim and this victim alone… but, why?" Spencer spoke, thinking out loud.

Eva spoke for the first time since coming in.

"He's making a new site," she whispered, not fulling realizing she was speaking out loud in the first place, "his is overcrowded. It's archeology 101, the worst fossils or bones to work with are the ones clustered together and overlapping each other. The proximity messes with the preservation of the skeletons. It totally comprises the skeletal integrity, causes chipping, brittleness and it invites animals to munch on the work. Basically a _nightmare_ when it comes to keeping the fossils in good condition. The plastic wrap on Sabrina, the making of her own grave, I don't think it's like... _remorse_ or whatever you guys called it. This looks like him perfecting his preservation methods for the next victims. Oh, and I'm pretty sure there will be more victims, I mean nobody puts in _that_ much work on something and not take it hard when the work falls apart. Looks to me like he's just starting over 'cause his first site is a complete mess."

Silence fell through the room as eight different pairs of eyes landed on Eva. She finally turned away from the picture on the screen, noticing the stares of the rest of the people in the room.

"Oh, uh, sorry" Eva winced, tucking a wayward curl behind her ear - a nervous habit.

Strauss shook her head.

"Don't apologize, Eva. That insight is one of the reasons you're here." Strauss turned back to the Agents at the table, " Ms. Martinez is an Anthropologist who works for the Smithsonian - a graduate in the Mastery program with the museum. Eva works with and under some of the top Anthropological and Archaeological minds in the world, and, as you can see, she's well versed in the art of fossil and skeletal preservation. As she just proved, she can provide a unique insight into the Unsubs reasoning and methods."

Eva was flabbergasted at the Chief's speech.

She thought _that_ was a bit of an exaggeration. The Chief was making her sound more capable and qualified than she was, but Eva stayed quiet and tried to clear her face of any shock at the Chief's praise. She didn't want to undermine the Chief's words.

Strauss turned back to Eva.

"Other than your insight, there is another reason I brought you here Eva," she pressed a button on the remote again, and the focus zoomed in on the skeletons in the grave, "Due to the fragility of their state and the lack of qualified personnel none of these skeletons have been identified-"

"Wait, you mean that you have no idea who these people are?" Prentiss interrupted, utterly disturbed and dismayed at the information. How were they suppose to work victimology?

"Yes, Agent Prentiss that's exactly what I'm saying" Strauss replied coolly, "this is more than just taking a picture and having run it through missing persons. These are skeletons. Any of the normal markers law enforcement uses to identify dead bodies have been destroyed. They need someone who specializes in bones and facial reconstruction to help them identify the victims. There aren't very many people in the world who can look at a skeleton and put a face to it."

"And Eva can?" Hotchner asked, not rudely.

"According to the Smithsonian, Eva has extensive knowledge on facial reconstruction methods." Strauss revealed, "She's worked in almost every skeletal reconstruction project the museum has had for the past three years, as an intern then as an employee. Tell them, Ms. Martinez."

Eva nodded and faced the curious Agents, "She's right. Part of being an expert on skeletons and fossils is being able to see the clues that tell you what they looked like when they were alive. It's how we know what Neanderthals or dinosaurs looked like even though we only have their bones. When you know how to look at the bones, they tell you everything you need to know about how they looked with skin."

"Exactly."

"I do have to ask though Chief," Eva continued, "not that I'm not flattered and all, but why me? In the Smithsonian alone there are people with doctorates and way more real-world experience then I have. I mean, I didn't even get my BA until about a year ago, and I've only worked for the Smithsonian as a researcher for about that amount of time. I used to be an _intern_ ," she finished with a slight scoff, a bit incredulous and finally asking what she's been wondering about for the past twenty-four hours.

"Are you saying you're not qualified?" Straus challenged with a raised brow.

"No, no I am qualified, and I can do it. I just wanna know why me."

"Because of what the little experience you _did_ have entailed, Ms. Martinez. Did you or did you not spend two summers of your college career working with forensic anthropologist David Mahiri in South America, helping him identify human remains of guerrilla warfare victims in mass graves. Did you not help 's team do facial reconstructions of the victims to deliver their bodies to their next of kin so that the families may have closure? Did you not work in less than ideal conditions with minimal technology in your time abroad?"

"Yes…"

"Exactly, and that's what you will be doing in North Carolina. While the BAU tracks down the killer, you will be identifying the victims so local police can let the families know." The blonde woman eyed Eva sharply, "These are not fossils or remains of species thousands of years old, They are victims of a crime, and they mean something to the people who are looking for them. Out of all your colleagues, I thought you would be the best for the job because you would understand that. Was I wrong?"

"No! No, you're right. I'll do it."

Strauss rolled her eyes at the young woman "Good, that's established. Agents, your copies of the files are on the desk over there. Are there any more questions on your assignment?"

"No, ma'am" Agent Hotchner assured gravely, "we'll have it done."

"Good," Strauss said, making her way toward the exit, "It's your lucky day Agents, there was a witness to Sabrina's abduction, a friend of hers, Amelia Montgomery, start with her. Oh, and Hotch, take care of the girl. I don't think the Smithsonian will be too pleased with the FBI if we return one of their youngest to them broken."

Eva spluttered, at the Chiefs retreating back, "Return?! _Dios,_ that lady makes me feel like a borrowed crayon."

The Agents of the BAU shared the ghost of a chuckle at the pouting young anthropologist.

"So," Hotch said, getting everyone back on track, "do we think he's a collector?"

 _A collector?_ Eva thought, confused. _Like as in a collector of bodies?_

"It seems like the only option. There doesn't seem to be anything sadistic or sexual about the killings." JJ confirmed, getting up to pass around the files on the desk.

"That we know so far." Morgan said, "we still don't have the cause of death."

Eva didn't pay attention to Agent Morgan's words. She was too caught up on what the blonde Agent said.

Sexual? What did she mean sexual? You can't rape bones. And, in Eva's opinion, killing more than half a dozen people seemed pretty sadistic to her, so she had no idea what Agent Jarue was talking about.

"It could be that the killings are just a means to an end, his focus might not be on the deaths or even the victims as they were alive, this could be just about obtaining their skeletons," Spencer said, jerking Eva from her thoughts.

Their eyes met briefly, before they turned away, matching blushes dusting their cheeks.

"Yeah but, if they are, then he would treat his collection with better care," Morgan argued, "Eva said it herself these bodies are poorly preserved. A collector would be much more careful with his toys."

Eva cringed at Agent Morgans word choice, taking the offered brown file from Agent Jarreau. _His toys? That's disgusting._

She spoke up anyway.

"That might not be necessarily true. These bones aren't falling apart because of lack of effort. They're falling apart because of time. This guy obviously doesn't have the right tools to keep the bones in good shape, and without the tools mother nature's just gonna do her thing, and there's nothing he can do to stop it or save them."

"Okay, so, he keeps the skeletons as long as he can but what does that make the victims?" Agent Prentiss interjected, "Victims of opportunity? Trophies?"

"That's what we need to find out. Grab your go-bags, and we'll regroup and brainstorm on the plane. Wheels up in twenty." Hotch said, rising from his seat.

The Supervisory Agent stopped in front of Eva by the door, "You have a go-bag? A change of clothes."

"Yes, Chief Strauss already had it put in the plane."

"Good," Agent Hotchner nodded, before his face relaxed, just marginally, "Thank you for coming. We appreciate your help."

"Don't say thanks yet. I haven't done anything. You can thank me when the facial reconstructions are done." Eva grinned.

Hotchner nodded again. If Eva were a less perceptive person, she wouldn't have noticed the hints of a smile in his countenance.

"Rossi will brief you on the way our team works, and while out in the field you will be shadowing JJ at all times, but most of the trip you'll be in the ME's lab, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

With another nod and a calculating look Agent Hotchner disappeared to head to his office and Eva could breath easy again.

"Wow, he's intense," she said, turning her wide eyes to the nosy Agents waiting to file out of the room. Eva was careful not to let her gaze linger on Spencer too long, "Is everyone around here like that?"

"Just the bosses," Rossi joked, stepping forward. His eyes were squinty and kind, with an essence of a wise man who oozed charm. Eva could see him as a ladies man way back in his day, "come on _bella,_ let's get you caught up on the ways of the BAU."

Definitely a ladies man.

"Cool. Can you start off by telling me exactly what it is you do and whats going on? All I know is someone's murdering people, and I have a lot of work to do 'cause of it."

"Damn girl," Agent Morgan whistled, "they left you in the dark."

"You weren't explained what we do?" Prentiss asked with concern.

"All I know is when I went in for work yesterday Strauss and a bunch of Agents were waiting for me with papers to sign, psychologists to psychoanalyze me and orders to be In Virginia the next day," Eva shrugged, "so here I am."

"And, the FBI can just do that?" Agent Prentiss asked, glancing at her fellow Agents for answers.

Eva went to respond but, Spencer beat her to it.

"Yes, actually they can. It's not uncommon for the Smithsonian to lend their experts to certain institutions, government or private. The Smithsonian and the FBI have had a long- working relationship that's led to countless collaborations with cases in the past. The Anthropology Department alone, for more than 60 years, has provided continuous consultation on Federal cases. Approximately 224 of them to be exact."

"Spencer's right, it's part of our contract when we get employed. We all agree to working as consultants if needed, for any type of institution the museum chooses. I just never thought it would happen to me this early on in my career, and I didn't think it'd happen with the FBI either." Eva agreed, before looking at him with open curiosity, a small smile lifting her cheeks a bit, "You know if Hermione Granger was a dude and not a fictional character in a kids book, you're what I'd imagine she'd sound like. You both have the whole 'just swallowed a textbook' thing going on."

Eva grinned to show that she didn't mean that in a bad way before turning back to the other Agents quickly, not giving him a chance to respond. The other Agents looked equal parts amused and smug at the tiny interaction.

Embarrassment Eva tried to downplay shot up her spine. Did they know about Spencer and Eva's meeting this morning? Eva tried not to dwell on it; choosing instead to keep talking to the staring Agents and the nervous Doctor.

"It's in the contract for the Smithsonian to assign me here if they think the FBI can use me. It just all happened so fast and, no one really explained to me what exactly we're doing."

"Well, the FBI's never really been known for their finesse," JJ said with a shake of her head.

Rossi snorted.

"Now that's an understatement. Come on, Eva. Let's talk in my office while these guys prep for the flight," he said, putting a warm on her shoulder and leading her towards his office.

Eva could only follow along - it seemed like she'd be doing a lot of that in the near future.

* * *

After (another) warm cup of coffee, a pleasant discussion with Agent Rossi, along with a not so pleasant introduction to the art of using psychology to catch serial killers, the rest of the Agents finally finished preparing for their flight.

It was Agent Prentiss who came to get the Italian Agent and the Anthropologist, interrupting their lively yet, morbid conversation. Granted with more than a dozen people dead it was hard to have a conversation that was anything but morbid.

"Wait, alright back up. So, what you're telling me is that you guys knew that a killer had a stutter because he stabbed people to death at a train station... at night ... with an ice pick?"

"Exactly," Rossi slapped his hand on his desk, "The murder weapon, the location where the murder was committed, deciding if the marks on the body are hesitant or aggressive, personal or methodical. Those are all clues to show the confidence of the murderer and, whether or not an unsub is confident tells you what to expect, who they could be. This particular unsub showed signs of not only being insecure but, having no sense of self-esteem _period_. That type of lack of confidence can only be seen in extreme cases of an unsub having spent their whole life ostracized. So, we figured it was some type of handicap that drove him to - "

"Rape, kill and sodomize?" Eva said with disgust, pert nose scrunching up comically.

"I've seen people do more for less."

"That's absolutely terrifying. Thanks for telling me."

"It's the job."

The conversation lagged momentarily, then Eva finally blurted out, "Alright yeah sure... but a _stutter?_ "

Rossi chuckled lowly, coal eyes twinkling under his heavy brows.

"That was just an example of one case, Eva."

"I get that, but... just... _wow._ A stutter?! I mean, this is probably gonna be the most insensitive thing I've said all week, but can you imagine being killed by a guy with a _stutter_? How creepy is that."

Rossi opened his mouth to reply, but he was a cut off by a sharp, single knock on the door.

"Rossi, Eva. We're ready to go," Agen Prentiss informed, smiling softly - almost encouragingly - at Eva as she did so.

For good reason to, because suddenly panic swelled up in her chest and lodged in her throat - or maybe it was bile?

 _"Oh,"_ Eva gasped out, body tensed and palms clammy; any calm Eva felt just seconds ago was shot to hell. It finally hit her that this was actually happening. Eva was about to get on a private jet with a bunch of real-life Sherlock's and G.I Joe badasses to go solve a heinous crime.

To go catch an active _murderer._

What was she doing here? Eva was a researcher, an anthropologist... _por Dios s_ he worked in a museum, not for the FBI or law enforcement. She didn't belong here. Until last year, Eva was just a college intern - she wasn't _qualified_ for this, despite how it looked on paper or her experience or what Strauss thought.

Eva didn't realize she was starting to hyperventilate until suddenly Rossi and Prentiss's kind faces invaded her line of sight.

"Eva, hey. Eva. Breathe. It's okay." Agent Prentiss soothed.

"Don't worry, _bella._ You'll be safe. We promise. Nothing will happen to you. Just take a deep breath, everything will be fine."

Eva worked on doing exactly that; she took deep shallow breaths that felt more like pants and leaned into the warmth of the Agents crouching in front of her.

After a few minutes, her head stopped reeling and the breaths came easier, less stilted; the panic was starting to fade but, the anxiety was still there, settled somewhere n the pit of her stomach.

"There you go, _bella_. That's better, you're okay. I know it's nerve-wracking but, we're not gonna let anything happen to you, okay?"

"Yeah," Eva agreed shakily, "okay. I'm sorry, I'm being unprofessional I know... I just -"

"You don't need to explain yourself to us, Eva, we understand," Agent Prentiss said, "It's okay. Just trust us. You do your job, we do ours and we'll all be back soon." Emily paused, looking at Eva deeply. "You can still do your job, right?"

"Yes!" Eva blurted, "Yes, yes. I'm sorry, yeah. I can do this I promise."

"Okay," Rossi soothed the frazzled woman, "Okay, we believe you. Then let's get on that jet and do our job. Everyone's waiting."

"Right, right," Eva sighed, getting to her feet and taking one last calming breathe, "Let's do this, I guess."

Both Agents nodded, this time it was Prentiss who put a dainty, calloused hand on her shoulder.

Eva felt a rush of camaraderie and gratefulness for the two Agents by her side.

"Let's go then."

And as they walked from the office to the strip behind the building where apparently the jet was waiting for the three of them, Eva couldn't help but ponder how sad it was that she'd rather be at Rossi's desk on that nice plush chair, discussing ice picks and sodomization then be walking to that jet.

* * *

 _"The oldest and strongest emotion of mankind is fear, and the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown."  
H. P. Lovecraft_

* * *

 **A/N: For those who don't know _bella_ in Italian means pretty/beautiful. It's just Rossi's way of being nice to her. Let me know how you guys liked it!**

 **I know I've been updating a lot so Imma just drop this last chapter and then I'll see you guys on a week or two!**


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